Athlete Spotlight: Madison Keightley on Triathlon, Multisport, and Vision Care
At Visique Eye Spy, we’re proud to support Madison, a local athlete who balances demanding training schedules with work, study, and everyday life. Clear, comfortable vision plays a vital role in performance, safety, and confidence, particularly in endurance sports where focus and visual awareness matter.
Madison Keightley is a triathlete and multisport athlete whose journey has taken her from early competition in New Zealand to racing internationally, and now towards one of the country’s toughest endurance challenges. As a long-time patient of Visique Eye Spy, Madison shares her personal journey, the commitment behind her sport, and how her trusted local optometrist in Palmerston North supports her training and performance.
Your Journey in Sport
Madi, you’ve been involved in sport from a young age. Can you tell us about your personal journey into triathlon and multisport, what drives your success, and the daily commitment required as a local New Zealand athlete?
I’ve been involved in sport since a young age, starting with competitive swimming, running and football until my late teenage years where I began to pick up triathlons. I’ve always wanted to challenge myself and see how far I can push myself within my sport. I picked up a coach when I first entered triathlon and quickly learnt how much commitment and dedication it was going to require to chase the athletes already at the top of the sport, which was a challenge I was all in for!
For the next few years I worked hard daily, 2 to 3 sessions a day, most days, all while working and part-time studying for a period. I enjoyed every moment of the training, whether it be group sessions or solo, and the racing around the country that followed. Lots of travel through summer was always on the cards, unfortunately Palmerston North didn’t have too many events nearby.
There were the usual ups and downs that everyone experiences at some stage, injury, illness, COVID etc. But those just became another opportunity to challenge myself in the comeback process.
Racing Overseas and Learning from Experience
You later had the opportunity to race overseas. How did those experiences shape you as an athlete?
Eventually I began to get the opportunity to enter overseas races which, with the help of my parents, I made the effort to get to and experience racing athletes of a whole different calibre in new countries. The experiences were unreal, with plenty of stories to bring back home each time.
I managed to tick off quite the list of countries over a roughly three year period until I encountered a rather niggly back injury in late 2023. That unfortunately slowed my training down while I dealt with the health care system and trying to get into specialists etc.
During this period I spent more time on my bikes while riding was the least aggravating discipline, and focused on building my riding base up with some specific racing in there to keep me sane! I didn’t head overseas for the next round of racing as I wasn’t back in full form yet, instead using the time to get my fitness and strength back for the next season.
A New Direction and a New Challenge
In 2025, your focus shifted again towards longer events and multisport racing. What inspired that change, and how has your training evolved?
Fast forward to 2025, I’d been working full time and training anywhere up to 20hrs a week with the aim of entering the longer distance triathlon events, Xterra (off road tri), and still targeting some bike races there. I began to get back to my old self again with some solid results coming out of the local NZ races.
Slightly inspired by my work being involved in Coast to Coast again this year, I decided to deviate from Tri for a year and enter the Multisport event for 2026. Just another challenge that I could see myself throwing everything at. Learning to Kayak, mountain run, and most of all learning to race for around 15hrs as opposed to my usual 2ish hours!
At a similar time a move to Christchurch was made in April for work, which has turned out to be the perfect training ground for Coast. New people, new hills to ride, new trails to run, it’s all been amazing! Far from cheap, but I’ve enjoyed every moment of it, even the freezing cold south island mornings learning to kayak on the Avon. There’s still ice on the kayak when you get off the river!
I’m currently training twice a day most days, with some pretty long hours on the weekends, and working full-time at Specialized down here. It’s a lot of commitment if you want to get the most out of yourself in a race like Coast.
Some would say I’m stubborn, but there’s just something about pushing yourself day in day out, testing your limits, learning how and when your body operates best, and of course the big missions with friends or even solo, that come with Triathlon and Multisport that gets me out of bed each morning!
Vision and Sports Performance
As a triathlete and multisport athlete, how does your vision care support your training and performance, particularly when it comes to contact lenses and prescription sunglasses for sport?
As I’ve been in glasses and contacts since primary school, it’s been part of my yearly to-do list to get my eyes checked. I rely heavily on wearing contacts daily for all my training sessions and work so it’s been amazing that the team at Visique has kept my vision so perfect with these! I’m always wearing sunglasses over top when training outside to protect the contacts, but also to protect my eyes from any sun damage, something Maile and Keith have helped me with in the form of a super cool pair of Oakley Radars!
The Importance of Regular Eye Tests
How important is it for you to stay on top of regular eye tests with your local optometrist while training and working full time?
Regular eye examinations with Maile ensure we’re on top of my eye health and up to date with any changes in my eye sight and optical prescription needs. Glasses tend to be different to contact lenses - so it’s important to check both.
Local Support and Sponsorship
How important has local support, including sponsorship from Visique Eye Spy, been in helping you pursue your goals as an athlete?
Local support is one of the best things that can happen to an athlete who’s been chasing their sport self funded for the majority of their time. The word ‘local’ is the best part, because they’re not strangers, they’re long-term sponsors that already know you and your journey.
The team at Visique Eye Spy have been in my life since I was about 7. They’ve remembered my name every time I’ve walked in the door, and always been so interested in my latest adventures!
With Visique Eye Spy taking some of the financial pressure off my travels this year has been such a relief, and opened up the opportunity to enter an extra event or two that I wouldn’t usually have been able to make it to financially. To say I’m grateful for the local support from Visique Eye Spy is a massive understatement.
Community and Being a Local Athlete
What do you love most about being a local athlete and staying connected with your community through sport?
Being a local athlete has always meant you’re guaranteed to see someone you know while you’re out training, especially in a small town like Palmy or Feilding. It’s a great little mood booster to see someone mid-session or to have a little chat over coffee at the end of a big ride with the people that have helped shape you as an athlete, whether they realise it or not!
I was fortunate enough to be involved in a few community events through my time working at Crank It Cycles, such as the kids tri series and local MTB events, as well as organising a few group rides through the shop. Seeing all the different ages out there giving it a go, whether it’s their first time doing a triathlon or a seasoned veteran on the bike, it was always a big highlight for me in helping to keep the community moving.
Advice for Up-and-Coming Athletes
What advice would you give to up-and-coming athletes in a similar position to where you started?
Just enjoy yourself, and work hard for what YOU want. When you find something you enjoy and it excites you, go after it. It will always get hard at some point, you’ll face so many different challenges and get opinions from others around you, but if you’re enjoying yourself and stay focused on trusting the work you’re doing, you’ll be just fine.
Lastly, never forget to thank those that support you, no matter how big or small it may seem! You wouldn’t be there without them, I guarantee it.
Supporting Athletes Like Madison Keightley
At Visique Eye Spy, we believe great eye care supports more than just clear vision. From regular eye tests in Palmerston North to contact lenses for sport and prescription sunglasses for sport, our focus is on personalised care that supports real athletic demands and long-term eye health.
We’re proud to support our local athleteMadison Keightley and to be part of the wider community that helps her train, compete, and thrive.
If you’re active, training outdoors, or simply want confidence in your vision, our friendly team at Visique Eye Spy Optometrists in Palmerston North is here to help.
